Abstract:
Traditionally, production of Pentadesma butyracea butter starts by a pretreatment of the seeds which can be stored after. Thus, the seeds are untreated or heated by roasting or boiling and then sun-dried. This study compared the end products derived by these three pretreatments. The fresh seeds were divided into three batches and each of them was pretreated as described above and processed into butter. Seeds were analyzed for proximate composition and inorganic ions and butter for fatty acids composition and triglycerides profile. Neither treatment influenced the fat content of P. butyracea seeds (48%). There was significant (P<0.05) variation in the crude protein and ash content of untreated seeds. The applied pretreatments didn’t lead to significant reduction (P > 0.05) in most of the inorganic ions. However, a significant decrease (P< 0.05) was observed in zinc and sulfate contents. On the other hand, the seeds pretreatment significantly (P < 0.05) influenced the fatty acids and triacylglycerol profiles of the extracted butter. As observed, boiling of seeds appeared as a process allowing a high level of unsaturated fatty acids in the butter and can be recommended to the P. butyracea seeds processors in rural area.